I came across this book while watching an episode of Dan Rather Reports on HDnet. The episode I watched stuck with me for two reasons- the first will be a separate blog post- but the second reason is that towards the end of the program they had Stephen Cohen on and were asking him questions about Russia. I think he was on to talk about Putin and the upcoming election, but I can’t recall exactly (see below). But his interview was interesting enough to make me add his book to my queue.
Soviet Fates and Lost Alternatives is not a book for a lot of you. But any of you who even have a passing interest in Russia and in recent history should pick it up. I found it fascinating- especially the later chapters which outline how much we (the US) have squandered a lot of our diplomatic clout. The book also offers great insight into the most recent elections in Russia and how our media can angle covering results sometimes.
I wonder if I would have read this if I hadn’t gone to Russia last year for work. Most likely I would have only had a passing interest in Cohen’s work and not paid as much attention.
I found the show’s transcript online here (pdf). Here’s the bit I found really interesting:
RATHER
As you look at– at Washington through both appreciating George W. Bush administration and the Obama
administration, the biggest mistake Washington makes on behalf of the American people in dealing with
Russia?
COHEN
21
A turning point for Russia came after 9/11. And I think your viewers need to be reminded of something that
happened. Right after we were attacked, the first phone call from a world leader that President Bush received
was from then-President Putin, who said, we’re told, “George, we are with you. Whatever you want from us,
just tell us. We’ll do it.” And what we asked Putin for in particular, were three things: We wanted over flight
rights to wage a war against the Taliban in Kabul.
We wanted excellent Russian intelligence about Afghanistan. And the Russians had created and left behind
after they withdrew from Afghanistan, a small but efficient well-trained fighting force in Afghanistan called the
Northern Alliance. It was trained by Russians, armed by Russians and it knew how to fight. And Putin gave that
to the United States to be frontline troops.
RATHER
He did all three.
COHEN
He did all three, and in the face of tremendous opposition in Russia. The military didn’t want it, the security
people didn’t want it, the diplomats didn’t want it, because what was he gettin’ in return? We know what Putin
thought he was gonna get in return: A real, enduring partnership with the United States.
What happened? Very quickly after 9/11, regarding Russia, under Bush, NATO was expanded toward Russia a
second time. And then, or maybe it was before, but about the same time, Bush unilaterally withdrew the United
States from the anti-ballistic missile treaty, which Russia regarded as the bedrock of its nuclear security. To this
day, Dan, to the year 2011, a decade later, both Putin and Medvedev have said repeatedly, and I quote, “We
were betrayed and deceived.”
And then Obama began the reset to try to repair things. And he made two mistakes which are still with him.
He wagered on Medvedev. He built the reset on Medvedev, who is now out–
RATHER
Putin’s successor, but now–
COHEN
22
Putin’s successor, yeah. He wagered the– the reset on President Medvedev and even insulted Putin, he and
Biden in a couple ways that really aggravated Putin. And the other thing is, again, the Russians gave. They
supported the sanctions against Iran. They opened more supply lines to Afghanistan. And I would defy
anybody listening to us today to tell me one thing we gave Russia in return, tangible.
Here’s a similar interview with RT and Cohen talking about Russia’s help to the US post-9/11 (skip to 9:28) – the original program is for sale on iTunes.
